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Green Ways to Keep your Baby Clean
How to keep your baby’s skin clean and safe from irritants and harsh chemicals.
by: Nancy Ripton
Organic Baby Wash
- Infant's and children's immune systems are less-developed than an adult's, making them more vulnerable to pesticides and chemicals.
- Look for gentle, non-drying cleansers derived from olive oil and oats, organic ingredients and essential oils.
- Baby washes should be free of artificial fragrances, food-grade preservatives and harsh detergent ingredients.
- Essential lavender and chamomile oils can be calming to cranky babies.
f you're thinking of going green, your baby's body wash is one of the first places you should start. "Infant's and children's immune systems are less-developed than an adult's, making them more vulnerable to pesticides and chemicals," says Eden Somberg, clinical herbalist and sales manager for Erbaorganics.
To keep baby's skin soft and healthy, look for gentle, non-drying cleansers derived from olive oil and oats, organic ingredients and essential oils. Products should be free of artificial fragrances, food-grade preservatives and harsh detergent ingredients. "Be especially wary of sodium lauryl sulfate," says Marlene Beadling, US product education manager for Jurlique. "It's an ingredient used as a foaming agent in many cleansers that has been shown to be irritating to skin."
For a detailed list of ingredients to avoid in your child's bath and body products log onto Prevent Cancer by Dr. Samuel Epstein, author of The Safe Shopper's Bible.
And to help make shopping for baby bath products a little easier, I've listed five of my favorites:
Erbaorganics Baby Body Wash
Perfect for parents who are looking for an organic wash that still creates a lather.
Essential lavender and chamomile oils soothe sensitive skin and can also be calming to cranky babies.
Bonus: Erbaorganics donates 15 percent of their baby wash sales to the World Wide Orphans Foundation.
GAIA Natural Baby Shampoo and Bath & Body Wash
I tend to favor 2-in-1 combos, but make an exception for the GAIA organic line.
The shampoo's chamomile claims to bring out your baby's natural highlights (I don't know if it's the suds or the sun, but my toddler's locks were definitely a little lighter).
Plus, GAIA forms a lush lather that's easy to wash out.
The wash is enriched with lavender to soothe and relax your baby (and it smells great).
Jurlique Baby's Gentle Shampoo & Body Wash
I credit Jurlique's adult line with curing my first trimester breakouts, so I was excited to try their baby line on my infant–and it didn't disappoint.
Organic Matricaria flower extract and Burdock offer a pleasant scent that isn't overpowering.
Plus, the soap is gentle and easy to wash off.
Lafe's Organic Foaming Baby Shampoo and Wash 
The one-touch pump makes Lafe's foaming, all-purpose body wash so easy to use–even when holding onto a slippery newborn.
Ingredients such as reverse osmosis water, saponified oils of coconut, sunflower seeds, olive and palm are ultra soft on even the most sensitive baby's skin.
Miessence Baby Cream Wash
Miessence creamy wash is extremely gentle and non-drying–perfect for delicate skin that is prone to dryness.
Organic coconut oil, marshmallow, calendula and chamomile offer antiseptic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties to soothe baby's skin–plus, the combination smells divine.
